Gerry Daly was 42 when he vanished from his Co Cavan home in June 2011.

His neighbour, a former garda who was shot in the head last November, was previously quizzed over the whereabouts of the missing man, who is feared murdered.

A Garda spokesman confirmed a 53-year-old suspect was arrested by gardai and can be questioned for up to 24 hours in Carrickmacross Garda Station.

Mr Daly was last seen at his rural home in the townland of Cornaveagh, near Bailieborough, which is next to where the body of ex-garda John Kerins was found last year.

The pair were said to be planning to go into business together, breeding security dogs for business, before Mr Daly's disappearance.

Mr Kerins, who was in his late 40s and had been medically discharged from An Garda Siochana several years earlier, had been arrested and questioned by gardai when his neighbour vanished.

There was no sign of a struggle or a disturbance at Mr Daly's home and the only things missing were his mobile phone and the keys to his van.

A dog enthusiast and breeder originally from Knockmore Grove in Tallaght, he is described as being 5ft 10in, of broad build, with dark hair and blue eyes.

His family have made several appeals since his appearance urging anyone, even with the smallest piece of information, to come forward. Investigations into his whereabouts included probes in the Bailieborough area, as well as the border region, England, Jersey and Malta.